Big, tall, soft and fluffy blueberry buttermilk muffins topped with coarse sugar that will give those bakery muffins a run for their money!

I am out of just about every food imaginable at my house. Yesterday I had frozen enchiladas for breakfast, and today I started a fire in my microwave trying to spice up my oatmeal. Maybe I should explain. I really like drippy peanut butter (or almond, or whatev) on my oatmeal, and I’m completely out of all butters except for a 1 tablespoon packet of almond butter. You know? The kind you have to knead first and it never really gets drippy like the stuff from a jar? So I thought it would be brilliant to put it in the microwave for 10 seconds. It was not the first time I’ve ever made that type of mistake, but it was the first time anything has actually caught on fire.

I stared at in in disbelief for a moment, then I blew the fire out. It was mildly scary, and also a little funny. You know, one of those times where you’re really glad no one else is at home and has to see how dumb you are, but then you tell the entire internet, and the whole idea of any discrepancy is completely lost.

It’s funny. You go away for a weekend leaving the man in your house to his own devices, and you come home to find no new groceries, just lots of receipts from Chipotle. And somehow I can’t find the motivation to go grocery shop. Or make more muffins. Or get off the couch? Post adventure hangover is apparently still in play.

Basically, I wish these muffins had lasted more than 48 hours and magically withstood the 3 months that have now passed since I made them. I would eat the crap out of them, and I wouldn’t even have to burn the house down to do it.

I’d been eyeing my girl Sally’s blueberry muffins for a good long time, and been dyyyying to try to make some muffins as tall and beautiful as her’s, so one day I had some leftover blueberries in my fridge, and just decided they needed to happen already.

The result was the tallest, most gorgeous muffins I have ever seen come out of my oven! Sally uses extra baking powder and starts with a high oven temp which is the secret to these perfect muffin tops. So much better than my usual muffin top (#whatisgoingonwithmymuffintop)<–Inside joke from Hood to Coast just for you, Laurel. 😉

Preheat oven to 425. Spray muffin tin with nonstick spray, or line with paper liners. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until combined. Mix in buttermilk, applesauce and vanilla until well combined.

Gently, fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix. Gently fold in blueberries.

Evenly divide batter between 12 standard muffin tins. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a nice pinch of coarse sugar. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and continue to bake for an other 17-20 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (with just a few crumbs).

Let stand for 10 minutes, then serve or transfer to a wire rack. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

One of my very favorite holidays because I am obsessed with fireworks. I’m sure this is totally surprising information given that I am never a sucker for bright, sparkly things, but I can ooohh and ahhh for the entire fireworks show, and always get a little sad when they start going all crazy for the grand finale because that means it’s over.

Maybe it’s because for years I never got to watch the fireworks? I’ve spent almost every summer since I was 15 years old at theatre camp. First as a student, then as a counselor, and the last few years as a teacher/director/choreographer. For most of those years, the camp was located at the top of this hill in the middle of nowhere White Salmon, WA. We were always in rehearsals at night, so I never got to get into town (a good 40 minute drive) to watch the fireworks. Now camp is in Portland, and we light little sparklers and the kids get really into it which is fun in an entirely different way.

You know what else I love about the 4th of July? RED WHITE AND BLUE FOOD!!! Last year, I made red, white and blue cookies, and they still stand as some of my all time favorite cookies. This year, I decided to go with something you could eat for lunch or dinner while celebrating America (you have to pronounce it Ah-murrr-kah).

This sandwich….I just…I’m not sure I even have the words? I made it 3 times in 1 week. The brie cheese is so melty and dreamy, and then the goat cheese provides the perfect creaminess. Both of these cheeses pair perfectly with fruit, and the raspberry jam adds a bright sweetness the compliments the slightly tart bursting blueberries. It sounds crazy, but it just works. It works so well that you want to eat it every day for the rest of your life. You know I’m not usually a meal repeater, but I can’t get enough of this sandwich, and I can see it making a comeback all year long.

Check out the latest episode of Drink & Dish to learn the secret to making a perfectly melty grilled cheese, and make sure to also check out Nicole’s super fun 4th of July Citrus Splash. I mean, it has poprocks and it’s BLUE!

Spread 2 slices of bread with 1 tbsp each of jam. Spread remaining two pieces with softened goat cheese (evenly divide the 1 1/2 oz between the two slices). Place a handful of blueberries on each goat cheese slice and lightly press the berries into the cheese. Top each with 1 oz sliced brie. Place the jam side on top.

Grill until the bottom is browned, about 5-7 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until both sides are browned and cheese is fully melted, about an other 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately.

I know that no one is *perfect*, but I’d have to say my mom is pretty darn close. So today, rather than tell you about how awesome the pancakes are (they are awesome, and make sure you check out the video at the end for all my pancake secrets!), I have compiled a list of a few of the many reasons I love my mom.

1. My mom is the best listener. Any time I have a problem, she says all the right things. I can call her at any time of day and I know I can count on her to be my confidant, and give me A+ advice. She is a social worker, so in addition to her 28 years (gross, I’m old) of experience, she’s also legitimately educated in advice giving and people skills.

2. She is hilarious and totally weird. When I was little, she would do this weird clap-in-patterns thing. I seriously don’t know how else to even explain it, but I was always so embarrassed. Now I see all my weird little quirks, and realize how alike we are. I appreciate that she taught me to be silly, and to be myself. Now I love all of her little oddities. They make her unique, and she wouldn’t be my mom without them.

3. She is my biggest cheerleader, and also my biggest advocate. I love the positive support and encouragement I get from my mom, but it is the times when I see her stand up and fight for me that I am taken aback. My mom, rarely angry, occasionally turns into a real mama bear, and I can see her fight to protect me. I don’t care how old I am, I will always appreciate feeling protected, and I will also always need to hear her tell me “Good job. I’m proud of you.”

4. She is the most patient woman I have ever met. It doesn’t run in the family. I simultaneously admire, and am in awe of her patience. You know when you want to grow up and be just like your mom? Yeah, I still feel that way, and I keep hoping one day it will happen.

There are a million more things I could say, but I’ll try not to make this a novel. Check out the latest episode of Drink & Dish for my pancake secrets, Nicole’s amazing Blackberry Wine Cooler (check out the recipe–they are AWESOME!), and our favorite memories with our moms.

In a small bowl, whisk together flax seed and water. Let stand for 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Gently mix in flax mixture, almond milk, and vanilla, stirring until just combined, then fold in blueberries. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Preheat griddle or large pan over medium-low heat, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook until top forms small bubbles and bottom is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, until golden.

Notes

*I used 2 tbsp brown sugar, but you can easily use 3 if you like your pancakes on the sweeter side.

Remember when I wasn’t eating desserts? It lasted a whole two weeks, and I don’t know if it even really counts, because to try to fight against my craziness, I definitely made these. I was also trying not to eat grains, which is my least favorite way of eating. At one point I stayed on the first phase of the South Beach diet for months at a time, and I’m pretty sure I’ll never be the same because of it. Now, the second you say “low carb”, my brain does all sorts of funny things, and totally wigs out.

In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s just the word “diet” in general. Gross. It gives me the heebee geebees. Shivers, panic, nightmares. I love eating healthy foods, and I hate dieting. For me, the two do not go together. At all. But the good thing that came out of all of this was these cookies.

And some pretty amazing dinners. I do actually feel best when I take a meat and veggies approach to dinner, but that’s a whole other story. The rest of the day, I love my carbs, and I especially love my cookies. These babies, however, totally did the trick, and I would make and eat them over and over again, regardless of how I was trying to eat that hour week.

I actually really love baking with almond meal because you get flour and fat in one source. My almond meal baked goods come out so ridiculously soft and tender, and I find them to be much more filling and satisfying. This cookie isn’t just a dessert, it’s perfect for a mid-afternoon snack, or even pre-run (wahhhhh) fuel.

Did you know that if you’re injured, you have to cry and be overly dramatic every time you use the word run? It’s a rule. I mean, maybe you don’t follow it, but you could be missing out on tons of quality self pity. It’s a shame, really. I say, instate the rule.

Instate the rule, then make these cookies, because healthy cookies are totally the cure for self pity.

Blueberry Almond Meal Cookies

yield about 15 cookies

1 1/2 cups almond meal

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tbsp cornstarch

dash salt

1/4 cup honey or agave

1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together almond meal, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Add honey/agave, milk and vanilla. Mix until well combined. Gently, fold in blueberries.

Use a small cookie scoop to drop onto prepared baking pan. Press down on each ball to flatten slightly (they don’t flatten much when you bake them). Bake for 10-12 minutes until just set golden. Let stand for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I have a confession. I really enjoy cooking for people on specific diets, especially baking. I love the challenge of having to create something differently, or giving someone something they can’t have all the time. My first experience with gluten free baking was a huge hit! My step dad even said they were the best cupcakes I’d ever made. Those were made with my lovely friend Carolyn in mind, but once I told my mom about them, she mentioned to me that she’s been trying to eat gluten-free as well. She hasn’t been diagnosed with any intolerance, but has found in overall improvement in how she feels since she made the switch, so when I went to create a recipe for Hank and Charlie’s birthdays, I wanted to make something she could eat too.

Marshmallows are pretty much Charlie’s favorite thing on Earth, so I created these babies, and oh my goodness. The fresh blueberries burst in your mouth, and the gooey marshmallows almost melt into the batter while baking. They were absolutely delicious. You know your special diet baking is good when everyone who doesn’t have to eat that way loves it too. All of the boys were super into them, and I think if I hadn’t told people they were gf and healthyish, no one really would have known.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Marshmallow Buttermilk Cupcakes

yield 24 cupcakes

1 cup raw cane sugar

1 cup Splenda (yes, some people are very opposed to Splenda–you can easily use Stevia, or more real sugar, but I just feel better cutting some of those sugar calories)

1 cup egg substitute

2 1/2 cups brown rice flour mix (see below)

dash salt

1 tbs baking powder

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 cup unsweetened apple sauce

1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

6 oz organic fresh blueberries

1/2 cup mini marshmallows (if you care about this sort of thing, you can find Kosher marshmallows @ Whole Foods!)

**Note: This frosting came out somewhere more between a glaze and a frosting. It’s not firm enough to make pretty shapes on your cupcakes, but a small spread on top definitely makes them more delicious, and it’s really all you need!**

I have a lot of ideas floating around in this crazy head of mine. Sometimes I think I get too caught up in looking up other people’s recipes and basing my own off that, but I’m trying to just come up with things off the top of my head more and trust that they will be good. I mean, with baking, I always use someone else’s base recipe to make sure the science is right, but the rest of this one is all me. And, they were a hit!

You’d think after Thanksgiving, I’d be totally over baking, but not me! Yesterday, I wanted to test out a couple recipe ideas for the blogger cookie swap. I made 2 totally different batches. I can’t share the recipe for the batch I will be sending yet, but I do have recipe #2 for you!